In one form of an ice making apparatus, an automatic apparatus is provided for forming ice bodies and periodically delivering the formed ice bodies into a subjacent container maintained within a freezer space of a refrigeration apparatus cabinet. In one conventional form, the ice bodies are removed from the container by a user grasping the ice bodies through an open top of the container and removing the desired quantity.
In another form of a refrigeration apparatus, a through-the-door ice dispenser is provided for automatically delivering a desired quantity of formed ice bodies from the container into a suitable receptacle, such as a glass or pitcher. Such an apparatus includes a conveying means for conveying ice bodies stored in the container to a discharge chute in the door. One example of such an automatic ice body dispenser is shown in Buchser U.S. Patent Application No. 459,651, filed Jan. 2, 1990, which is owned by the assignee of the present invention. As disclosed therein, the ice bodies are delivered from the container to a transfer mechanism by means of an auger which is rotated by a motor at the rear end of the auger. The forward end of the auger is connected to the transfer mechanism which transfers the ice bodies seriatim to the subjacent transfer chute leading to the dispensing area.
Associated with such a transfer mechanism is an ice crusher comprising a plurality of blades rotational with the auger and a solenoid actuated shutter. When the solenoid is energized, the shutter is opened and the ice cubes are transferred via the transfer mechanism directly to the chute. When the solenoid is deenergized, causing the shutter to remain closed, the ice bodies are maintained in the transfer mechanism and are crushed by the blades to deliver crushed ice through the chute.
A typical conventional through-the-door ice dispenser includes a front opening in the ice chute through which ice pieces are delivered in a dispensing operation. The ice pieces may comprise the fully formed ice bodies, or the crushed ice. Such an ice dispensing apparatus is shown in Marks U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,436, which is owned by the assignee of the present invention, and which comprises a closure mounted frontwardly of the opening and being biased to a closed position wherein the closure effectively blocks the opening. An actuator is mounted adjacent the closure for moving the closure to an open position to permit free delivery of ice pieces through the opening as an incident of the actuator being moved from a released position to an actuated position.
Such a closure comprises an insulated well having an outer gasket for sealing engagement with the chute. The surface which engages the chute is generally planar. When the closure is in the open position, the ice pieces freely pass to the subjacent container. If the ice pieces are in the form of ice bodies, then operation is generally satisfactory. However, it has been found that when dispensing crushed ice, the chute opening is fully exposed so that there is no control of flying ice particles through the opening. Indeed, such ice particles are frequently known to scatter in unpredictable directions and may end up on the floor or other places not considered desirable.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.